Purpose: The purpose of the North American Collegiate Model UN All-Star Team is to recognize exemplary individuals in the college MUN community who have made a difference inside and outside of committee. These sometimes represent but are not necessarily limited to just the best delegates or award winners; conferences already determine those accolades. Rather, the College MUN All-Star Team should be representative of the best and most respected leaders in the community. They are diplomatic and skilled in committee, help strengthen the relationships between schools, provide thoughtful leadership, and make the Model UN experience better for everyone.
Process: College students who participated in at least one college Model United Nations conference in North America were eligible to submit one nomination form of up to ten students on the college circuit. Because of the All-Star Team’s emphasis on community, students were only allowed to nominate up to two delegates from their own school and were not allowed to nominate themselves. The nomination process took place from March 30 –April 5, 2020, and was promoted to a wide range of universities by the Best Delegate Media team. Each nominated name received one vote. Ballots were manually edited for spelling inconsistencies and manually checked for validity; only votes from valid ballots counted in the final numbers. Delegates receiving the top number of votes were given All-Star team honors divided into three tiers that reflect the percentage of votes received.
Credits: Best Delegate co-founder Kevin Felix Chan tallied the data. Best Delegate Media Team Editor-in-Chief Conna Walsh set up and promoted the voting process. Best Delegate staffer Syed Adnan assisted with promotion and sourced the biographies and photos. Thank you to all the individuals who contributed biographies, and thanks to everyone on the circuit for participating in recognizing their peers for leadership in the community!
All names are in alphabetical order by first name within each tier. Biographies and photos are provided by the All-Star’s peers. This year’s biographers represented some of the top delegates on the circuit that were friends, teammates, and competitors of All-Star Team members. These delegates were not only some of the most competitive on the circuit, but have also in some capacity worked to make the circuit a better place.
COLLEGE MODEL UN ALL-STAR TEAM (FIRST TEAM)
Alex Anacki
Florida International University
Alexander Anacki is not only known for his love for possums and vegan chai teas, but also for his dedicated leadership, perseverance, and passion for Model United Nations. Hailing from the great Sarasota, FL, Alex entered the team with an excitement that is rare to find within first semester students. Now a Head Delegate as only a sophomore, Alex’s affinity for local politics, speech perfection, and all things General Assembly has gifted the FIU MUN team with a leadership rare to come by. Although he has been doing MUN since what he describes as the dawn of time, his mentorship to this team has been insurmountable. It is safe to say that as far as hillterns come, Alex is the best of the best, and his golden personality is one that has blessed the collegiate circuit.
Andrew Smith
University of Alabama
Within minutes of meeting him, you’re likely to hear about both Andrew’s semester studying in Russia and his home state of Texas. He is a staple of the circuit’s many Russian themed committees and is probably the only Bama delegate who has never competed in a GA. A competitor on the University of Alabama team for the past 4 years, Andrew concludes his career as Head Delegate having impacted this team like no other. As a head delegate, he trained the majority of our MUN team and served as a mentor and friend. Of course, it also goes without saying that Andrew is a fantastic delegate, having won awards at every conference he attended this year including gavels at NCSC and McMUN. Andrew is currently tied for the most gavels in Alabama MUN history, a fitting legacy for our best delegate. Andrew graduates with degrees in Economics, History, and Political Science, with a minor in Russian. Even though he forced the team to listen to airplane podcasts for the 15-hour van ride to NCSC, we wish him the best of luck at Yale Law School, and will miss him dearly. Roll Tide!
Daniil Zhukov
University of California, Los Angeles
Some call him the club’s resident robot. Others suspect he may be a secret spy. And most know him as one Model UN at UCLA’s most successful delegates. Dan Zhukov is a graduating senior serving as one of MUN at UCLA’s head delegates this past year. His grit, intellect and undeniably loud voice propelled him to sweep gavel after gavel across consecutive conferences throughout his career. But aside from these accolades, Dan is best known for his heart. He does not leave anyone on read, replying to text messages and emails at lightning speed. Though he may claim this to be a force of productive habit, it is this mannerism and more that illustrate his compassion for others. He took the role of head delegate naturally, serving as both a mentor and friend to his teammates. Dan worked tirelessly to make the circuit a more inclusive atmosphere and was not hesitant to sound the alarm when he saw room for improvement. From his freshman year mane of hair to his love for sci-fi committees and his turtlenecks, Dan’s originality is irreplaceable. Above all, Dan’s genuine dedication to empowerment and kindness marks his legacy in MUN at UCLA. Zhaddy, you will be missed.
Danny Sixto
Florida International University
Daniel Sixto or “Danny” as many of his friends call him, is not only known for his contagious smile, caring self but also for his ability to make everyone around him laugh. As head delegate in only his sophomore year of college, he encourages his teammates, meets up with them in his free-time to help in any way possible and tries to talk about Russia or the research he conducts for school, wherever he can. When he isn’t being a dedicated student or working on his online PhD in Human Biology, he engages in playing basketball or sitting in the library talking to his friends and listening to questionable music. Danny has grown so much ever since his first BARMUN committee and has established himself not only as a renowned friend and delegate on the circuit but also as a role model for anyone around him. His love and care for detail in committees can be seen in his experiences and performances at Model UN conferences and we are excited to see him grow in these next few years, as a delegate and as a person. We wish him the best next year as he takes on the role of President of FIU’s Model UN Travel Team.
Jack Korologos
Georgetown University
Jack Korologos is a rising senior on the GU MUN team studying Government in the College of Arts and Sciences, and has served on the team’s Conferences Staff for the past two years, helping to create the largest and most inclusive Model UN team the circuit has ever seen. This year, Jack blew away his competition, winning a gavel in all four crisis committees he competed in. What is even more impressive was the level of competitiveness of those committees he competed in. After breaking GU MUN’s losing streak in the CMUNNY Ad-hoc with his first gavel of the year, Jack was pulled in two days before the conference to the BarMUN team to bring home his second gavel of the year. UPMUNC’s Ad-hoc and MUNE’s 24-Hour were his 3rd and 4th gavel, respectively, proving that he would be unmatched in the world of competitive crisis committees. Beyond his competitive success, Jack has also been a strong supporter of his teammates, steadfast crisis coach to younger delegates, a driving force behind the team culture, and a key proponent of the GU MUN tattoo and sweater #flex. We are thrilled to see where Jack will take the GU MUN team next year as he serves as the Conferences Coordinator and Head Delegate!!
John McCloud
University of California, Berkeley
John McCloud is a GA kid who got lost and stumbled into Crisis, first at College of the Canyons and then at the University of California, Berkeley. Serving as Head Delegate of Crisis in his senior year, John’s infectious enthusiasm, enduring patience, growing bucket of gavels, and tireless innovation helped him lead UCBMUN to its best season this team has ever had. John has established himself as one of the most successful delegates in the history of UCBMUN and on the circuit, bringing home a gavel in even the notorious NCSC Ad-Hoc. He is also one of the most beloved people in the organization—charismatic yet goofy, John can make you feel like his best friend within seconds. There is no delegate on the team who has gone into a hype talk from John and not come out feeling like they can take on the world. From sleep-talking about committee to charging into Hilton FiDi rooms for Oscar-worthy updates, John has made clear his devotion to his team and to the circuit. We’ll miss you so much next year, John Hudson McCloud! You will always be cherished for your Google Slides memes, lack of skill at League of Legends, inability to snap, and use of the word ‘rather’. The last thing this team has to say to you is, of course – pog.
Nandita Raghavan
University of Southern California
Don’t let her size fool you, Nandita Raghavan is a force to be reckoned with in any crisis room. Finishing her third year at USC, Nandita has already made her mark on the circuit, accumulating a dizzying list of awards, accomplishments and leadership positions. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of one of her crisis arcs, you know that she’ll flip the entire committee upside down, and she’ll do it with a smile. For those of us lucky enough to be under her leadership as President of MUNSC , we get to see the same tenacity for innovative solutions and passion for MUN every week. Besides serving as our fearless leader, Nandita has taken on the role of Secretary-General for USC’s high school conference, SCMUN, as well as numerous other positions in our club and on TrojanMUN secretariat. Anyone around in the week leading up to a conference would struggle to describe Nandita as a calming presence, but her enthusiastic motivational speeches and endless amounts of emotional and tactical support lets every member of her team know she’ll have their back through thick and thin. Anyone that needs a hug, pep talk or allergen-free ice cream chat always knows Nandita is only a text away. We’re lucky to have her for another year before she graduates, and we can’t wait to see the impact she’ll have on MUNSC, the circuit and the world to come.
Russell Puffer
University of Alabama
Russell Puffer is a senior honors student at the University of Alabama, with majors in political science, philosophy, and psychology. He has been a MUN kid from the start, when he joined his high school Model UN team and served as president for two years. Since then, his love for international politics and diplomacy has only grown. His Outstanding Delegate award at UCBMUN, his first collegiate conference, – freshman year in Security Council – only confirmed that this was the right path for him to follow. Since then, he’s had numerous awards, including gavels at MCMUN and MUNE. He has loved tutoring Model UN for underserved high schools in the Tuscaloosa, Alabama area, and he has also enjoyed serving as his school’s co-head delegate during several conferences. His most frequented kind of committee is GA – to him, diplomacy and compromise are the most essential aspects of Model UN, and they are epitomized by the GA format. Always aiming to be a friendly and productive member of any team or committee without undermining his own political interests, Russell has made his mark on the Model UN circuit over the last four years.
Sadie Murray
Clark University
Standing at 4’11, Sadie Murray easily packs the most decibels per inch of any delegate on the circuit. A West Coast native experiencing transplant-shock on the East Coast (primarily as a result of lackluster boba options), Sadie has spent 3 years shattering the ‘glass closet’ in the North American MUN circuit with no intention of stopping. This year she served as Chief of Operations for Clark University, training delegates to have Big Debate Energy™ (BDE) leading Clark to win “Best Large Delegation” at McMUN. Her most iconic moment this season was when she became ill during HNMUN and spent the conference vomiting in side-rooms at the Boston Park Plaza and STILL walked away with an award. When not netWERKing on the circuit, you can find Sadie conducting tree conservation research in the Amazon rainforest, taking an overnight bus to NYC to rush a Broadway show, or spending countless hours editorializing Elton John’s discography. Sadie is easily one of the biggest personalities on the team and a true all-star feminist role model – we are so lucky to call her our own and incredibly excited to see everything she accomplishes in her upcoming senior year and beyond!
Tanner Yamada
University of California, Berkeley
As the person who single-handedly revolutionized the team and was a gossip buddy to all, Tanner Yamada will never be forgotten by UCBMUN. Serving as Head Delegate of General Assembly in his sophomore and junior years, and Secretary-General of BearMUN and Loremaster in his senior year, Tanner’s commitment to the team is without a doubt the greatest of anyone’s in the sixty-year history of the organization. The words General Assembly are synonymous with Tanner Yamada. Even though Tanner’s first gavel was obtained in a crisis committee, he will never let you forget that GAs are far superior to crisis committees, and he will follow that claim by dominating every single one he competes in. As the delegate who has traveled to the most conferences of anyone currently on the team, Tanner has never left a committee without making countless friends due to his wholesome demeanor and power snapping heard around the world. UCBMUN members will be talking about Tanner’s dog obsession, refusal to smile for photos (God knows how we managed to get the one shown here), and unsolicited roasting for years to come. There is no corner of this organization that Tanner has not improved tenfold and no member that he has not gone out with for boba or Hui Lau Shan. To put it simply, Tanner Yamada *is* UCBMUN. The MUN circuit is losing one of its finest, kindest, and most insanely skilled delegates it has known. We love you so much, Tan.
Valeria Chavez
Clark University
Valeria Chavez is a rising senior majoring in Political Science and Geography (with a GIS concentration). Ever since joining the MUN as a freshman, Valeria has helped in staffing and organizing our high school and middle school conferences — serving as SecGen for ClarkMUN in the fall and chairing WooMUN in the spring. On the circuit, Valeria isn’t the sort of delegate anyone can forget, leading Clark to its first delegation award at McMUN this spring with her gavel (in addition to her many, many other awards throughout the year)! Known on the team for her wine nights and ability to schedule a week within an inch of its life, Valeria has been an absolute powerhouse and mentor not just on the MUN team but at Clark as well. Despite her love of control and frankly insane level of scheduling and organizing, Valeria somehow manages to be late to everything — she loves to breeze in a short five to thirty five minutes late with perfect hair and an iced coffee. Outside of the Model UN world, Valeria has interned at with the real UN and is pursing an accelerated masters degree because that’s the kind of intelligent, driven, amazingly together person that Valeria is! We all can’t wait to see her take the reigns of Head Delegate next year. Valeria makes everything she does better and we’re sure that MUN at Clark will be no exception.
Victoria Mayer
University of Pennsylvania
Victoria is a rising senior in Penn’s elite Huntsman Program studying the intersection of International Studies and Business. When she’s not busy winning gavels, she’s bombarding the Intercol snap group with pictures of her OOTD, going boxing with her Intercol lineage, and doling out sisterly advice. If you’ve ever met Victoria, you are almost guaranteed to know of her love/hate relationship with MUN, recruiting experiences, and above all her Austrian princess roots. Victoria lights up any committee room she enters with her unmatched energy and out of the box crisis arcs. Nothing short of a MUN goddess, Victoria is a force of nature and we are thrilled to have her with us for another year before she’s off doing bigger and better things.
COLLEGE MODEL UN ALL-STAR TEAM (SECOND TEAM)
Grace Park
University of Chicago
Grace Park is a graduating senior and served as the President of the UChicago Team this past year. Although she is one of the most formidable presences the GA circuit has seen, the Team knows her in a different light. Many of us know her as the first call we make when we need a confidante and a voice of reason or a fine wine and international monetary policy connoisseur. You can generally find Grace splitting her time between laughing at esoteric Econ memes and walking barefoot on the Choffice table while training awestruck first years. As president, Grace led the team to competitive success but also worked tirelessly to make us all better teammates to one another. Grace has been one of the best teachers, teammates, and leaders many of us have had. Not to mention, she has never encountered an ECOFIN or GA where she wasn’t a dominant force by the end of the weekend. It’s hard to leave the committee room not knowing who Grace Park is. After graduation, Grace will be taking her talents to downtown Chicago where we know she will make her mark as an economic consultant. We’re sad to see her go but deep down we know that there isn’t a challenge, or a bathtub, too deep for her to conquer.
Grant Peterson
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Grant Peterson is a graduating senior studying supply chain management at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. A longtime circuit veteran and current president of UT’s MUN team, Grant’s consistent focus on collaboration, conversation, and creativity within his crisis arcs has propelled him to great success, making him a consistent award-winner in the process. Whether it be through debate or directive writing, Grant believes that any obstacle can be solved through compounded ideas rather than divisive agendas. No matter what, Grant will work tirelessly to find compromise between all parties. No delegate and no ideas are safe from Grant’s friendly persistence. His avid push for cooperation coupled with his happy demeanor never fail to create lasting connections on the circuit. What people will remember most about Grant, though, transcends far beyond the scope of a crisis arc— his kindness. Regardless of if it is a delegate in his committee or someone on our travel team, Grant always makes it a point to be kind to everyone he is interacting with. His baseline level of respect for all, although not often mentioned, is something that does not go unnoticed. Whether it is a new delegate asking for advice or a seasoned delegate reminiscing on old times, Grant makes everyone he is working with feel valued. The same passion and friendliness that Grant brings to the circuit are also displayed in every aspect of his day-to-day life. I know this year did not end the way you would have liked, but I am confident that your legacy will long outlive your time in the club and on the circuit— I think I speak for everyone in saying that we are better people for having gotten to work alongside you.
Jake Mason
Florida State University
Jake Mason is one of the most compassionate leaders on the circuit who taught everyone how to be truly diplomatic and collaborative. The time he spent as the Director of the World Affairs program at Florida State University was instrumental in making their team one of the best in the country. He works, teaches, and leads with so much grace that spreads to others quickly. As an International Relations, Economics, and Mandarin Chinese major, Jake strives to serve his community with his immense knowledge and sheer passion. Watching him compete and rule in every committee based on China was a true pleasure. Watching him speak and interact is one of the greatest gifts and lessons any delegate can get in MUN, and we will certainly miss his weekly gavel posts on Instagram. Jake Mason – the man, the myth, the legend – thank you for making MUN a welcoming and passionate community. The circuit is saying goodbye to a gem of a delegate but knowing Jake, he’ll continue to find ways to continue his MUN contributions and leadership. We are so excited for all the wonderful things ahead of you.
Jay Vaingankar
University of Pennsylvania
Jay may be the Director of Intercol, but to the members of the Penn team, and really anyone who is lucky enough to know him, Jay is more than that. He is an amazing friend, counselor, dad and person. His genuine care for the issues and the people around him make him a formidable delegate and an even better leader. Beyond his many gavels, Jay is known for his ability to make lasting friendships across the circuit, push for inclusivity on his team, and rousing speeches to boost morale. To talk to Jay (really to just listen) is to love him, even with his serial lateness, questionable sweaters, mom jeans, cringe-worthy jokes, and longest emails “in the history of this team.” The circuit simply will not be the same without him, and the Penn team can not thank him enough for everything he’s done for each of us.
Katerina Geisler
Florida International University
Kat Geisler is from Colorado and is a card-carrying member of the Cherokee Nation. You all know that because you’ve all been in committee with her, and she definitely told you. Kat is the force of nature you never saw coming – someone who works hard, plays hard and cares a whole lot (but will never admit it). Kat is the epitome of realness, lives vivaciously, and has a side hustle as a rave girl. Her time on the circuit started with a gavel at HNMUN 2018, and she hasn’t let up since then, ending this season with the most points of any FIU delegate. This year, she served as Head Delegate of FIU’s Model United Nations program and was the USG for GAs for FIU’s high school conference, FIMUN. She is one of the most accomplished GA delegates on the circuit, and regularly gavels big GAs. Kat’s a crisis del, too, and a good one, always down to take on committees she knows nothing about (hello F1). You cannot find a single person in the program who has not learned from Kat. She is omnipresent in all of our lives, and not just in the MUN way. She is our team mom, our party host, our delegate friend, and our real friend. Kat’s classic frantic post-committee debriefs and occasional Spanglish will be missed.
Kira Bannister
University of Virginia
Kira Bannister is both an effervescent strawberry-blonde dream and a powerful force to be reckoned with. As one of the University of Virginia’s head delegates, Kira oversaw the team’s historic rise from top 50 all the way to top 10. Her passions include literature, foreign affairs, Texas, Renaissance art, and squirrels (don’t get her started). Often seen as the “Queen of Historical Crises,” she has swept awards across the circuit and has built many lasting friendships along the way. Kira truly embodies what it means to be a leader as she constantly puts team needs above her own. Whether she is running training or helping her fellow Hoos with their arcs in Alderman library, Kira can always be seen with a sunshiny-smile and a coffee. UVA MUN loves you, Kira! Wahoowa!
Mike O’Connor
American University
A graduating senior from American University, Mike O’Connor has combined crisis arc wizardry with an undying work ethic to become one of the best crisis delegates in North America. Inevitably reaching his “arc nirvana” on Friday night every conference, Mike has shown his dominance in UNSC, Crisis and even the occasional GA (WHAT!) with gavels at HNMUN, McMUN and BARMUN alongside awards at every other conference he competed at in the 2019/2020 season. Teammates will remember his freakish caffeine tolerance and hundreds (possibly thousands) of insane spreadsheets, but most of all he will be remembered for his leadership. A determined leader of the AU team in both the Assistant Head Delegate position and as a regular team member, Mike has been a role model for younger crisis delegates for both his success and his generosity, and will continue to embody what a leader should be. Under his patient guidance and leadership, AU MUN rose to its highest rank ever and much of that success is owed to Mike. He is the most selfless individual on the team– always doing whatever it takes to make sure his teammates succeed and feel like a member of the AU MUN family. The team at large is changed for the better because of Mike O’Connor, who has served as a leader and friend to all. His presence on the circuit will be sorely missed, but we at AU know that The Little Crisis Booklet will live on in his legacy.
Paulina Keim
University of Virginia
Known for her energetic personality, bold outfits (looking @ you pink power suit), and creative ideas (Rush Sigma Tau Alpha Rho!), rising third year Paulina “Polly” Keim is a force to be reckoned with. Having never done MUN prior to attending UVA, Polly jumped right in as a first year and never looked back—winning several awards at some of the most competitive conferences on the circuit. Polly is an extremely driven and intelligent delegate, who routinely spends hours on rides to and from conferences picking apart her crisis arc in extreme detail. By the end of the ride, everyone sitting near Polly is probably more well-acquainted with the intricacies of her committee than their own. A natural leader, Polly serves as the president of UVA’s International Relations Organization, a crisis director at UVA’s high school and college conferences, and as a mentor to many on the team. Most importantly, she is an extremely welcoming and kind person who is always willing to offer a colorful pen, any of the 6,000 sticky notes she has with her, or glitter to finish up an outfit. She is a friend to all and never hesitates to reach out to members both new and old. We are so thankful for Polly’s commitment to the UVA Model UN team and cannot wait to see what she does next.
Rahul Francis
University of Southern California
Rahul Francis is a graduating senior from the University of Southern California, majoring in Business Administration with minors in Computer Programming and International Relations. On the circuit, Rahul is a force to be reckoned with; between his ability to strike fear in delegate’s hearts with just a mere glance, his incredibly eloquent speeches, and his intricately creative crisis arcs, Rahul is truly the embodiment of the word ‘powerhouse’. Moreover, Rahul has made an extremely deep and everlasting impression on his team, holding positions as President, Secretary-General of SCMUN 2018, USC’s high school conference, and Secretary-General of TrojanMUN 2019. With his ability to go from straight competence to clownery and his pure love for the team, MUNSC will truly feel a loss with his absence, but we cannot wait to see him take his talents to the corporate world and New York!
Ruhee Wadhwania
University of California, Berkeley
Graduating from UC Berkeley this year, Ruhee Wadhwania was an absolute powerhouse in and out of committee. Beyond her riveting speeches and ability to type substantive clauses in an unbelievably short time, Ruhee was an inspirational leader to all those lucky enough to work with her. During her presidency this year, she contributed enormously to the inclusivity and positivity of the club. Furthermore, she continued the work she started as SG of UCBMUN last year, both in ensuring seamlessly staffed committees, and, more importantly, making the MUN circuit a safer place by renewing UCBMUN’s partnership with PATH to Care, a resource and support network for survivors of sexual harassment and violence. UC Berkeley and the entire circuit will miss her constant optimism and words of affirmation she pours out even at 5 am, although we are excited to see what miracles she will create in the next phase of her life!
Seth Fiderer
College of William & Mary
Seth Fiderer is a titan of the William & Mary Model UN team. He helped place us where we are today. A lover of all things crisis, he could always nail his out room, but he would always say “my in room needs work” even as he went up to collect his gavels. Seth is kind, supportive and very funny. He has been a mentor to this team and helped bring it to where it is today. He is known on the team for his crazy arcs and his knowledge of every breathing soul on the circuit. He has some of the best crisis arcs the circuit has ever seen, most of which revolved around his love of Middle Eastern Politics, but also his in depth knowledge of everything. After his career, he has certainly come out with a large base of knowledge, mostly on the world’s most niche religions. While he is not doing Model UN, he is continuing his hobby as a connoisseur of memes, doggos and all things blessed. He is also working on his thesis, building his community and being a great friend. Losing Seth is going to be tough for all of us at W&M, he has been such a delegate to have on the team and an even greater personality. Simply put, he gets on All-Star because people love him and he is good at what he does. A whole generation of W&M delegates have him to thank, and we hope that he can shine out in the world and bring a joy he brought to all of us. Thank you Seth, we love you!
Suraag Srinivas
Georgetown University
In his final year on the circuit, Suraag “Floofy” Srinivas comfortably retains his place as Georgetown Model UN’s favorite all-time sweetheart. Over the past year as Conferences Coordinator for GUMUN, which he insists should only ever be written as “GU MUN,” Suraag expanded GUMUN’s conference schedule and worked tirelessly to foster an inclusive, inspiring, and certainly exciting team culture that resulted in dominant GUMUN performances at two of the year’s most competitive conferences: UPMUNC and McMUN. On his fourth and certainly floofiest year on the circuit, Suraag awarded at some of the year’s most competitive conferences and even showed off his GA chops with an Outstanding Delegate award in UNSC at UPMUNC and an Honorable Delegate award in UNEP at McMUN. However, Suraag’s impact on GUMUN is not best measured by the gavels he has racked up or in GUMUN’s success on the college circuit, but rather in the friendship, dedication, and love Suraag has shown the GUMUN family. Raag, thank you for all the sacrifices you have made – from sleeping on the floor because of your snoring to competing as Sharawy Gomaa (who?) to the thousands of hours you have poured into this team – to forge our team into the family it is and will always be! Love you always.
COLLEGE MODEL UN ALL-STAR TEAM (THIRD TEAM)
Adithya Adaikalavan
University of Pennsylvania
It is with a heavy heart we say goodbye to one of the most beloved members of the Penn team and a true Model UN legend. Known for competing in three back to back conferences his sophomore spring and writing 90% of Intercol’s crisis arcs this past season, Adithya has always put his Intercol family first.“Adi” has filled many roles on the Penn team–Vice Director, Resident Old Man, Director of Cuts, Fun Uncle, and Arc Generator to name a few– but he might just be best at losing in MarioKart, creating homemade juice, and dancing to Single Ladies. From volunteering his house for movie nights to staying up late to brainstorm clause ideas, Adithya’s compassion for his teammates is unmatched. He may pretend to hate us (sighing “you kids” at our antics), but we know he’ll miss us almost as much as we’ll miss him.
Aditya Agarwal
University of California, Los Angeles
Adi Agarwal, also commonly referred to as “Adi-Two,” is a graduating senior that has served as one of the three head delegates on the UCLA Model UN travel team this year. Adi worked diligently to improve team trainings throughout one of UCLA’s most successful years on the circuit, significantly boosted his own gavel count, and even demonstrated for the second HNMUN in a row that you don’t need a P5 allocation to truly shine in the UNSC. Alas, a global pandemic struck before the circuit could witness Adi’s final form in an actual P5 spot at ChoMUN. Despite the premature end to his head del duties, Adi has left a profound impact on his club and the friends he has made over the years, whether through his unyielding dedication to the team or the never-ending laughter that fills any room he’s in. An avid gamer, anime consumer, and chess player, Adi will spare no effort to convince you that he is still not a nerd. It is this easy-going, passionate, and kind nature that Adi-Two is loved and will be sorely missed for. The UCLA family wishes him the best of luck in his investment banking career at BNP Paribas and hopes that he will not gamble all his salary away.
Alec Fischthal
Harvard University
Alec Fischthal’s illustrious Model United Nations career began when he entered college. From there, he became a prominent presence both within the Harvard community and on the circuit at large, eventually helping lead Harvard’s entire team as a Head Delegate. At conference, Fischthal specializes in Joint Crisis Committees and anything related to either the Middle East or US politics (or both). He has won a Best Delegate award at CHOMUN, several Outstanding Delegate awards at conferences such as UPMUNC, SCSY, and NYUMUNC, and a number of other awards around the circuit. He is well known for his rousing speeches, his crush on Hillary Clinton, his encyclopedic historical knowledge, his sharp wit, his sharper jawline, and the impressive energy he brings to every single conference social that he can attend. Fischthal has helped to consistently energize the team’s social community on campus and serve as a guiding mentor for new members. Full-on retirement from his Head Delegate position seemed too boring for him though, so he has put his interests to work serving as Executive Director of Harvard for Biden and trying to turn some crisis arcs into reality.
Arian Milani
George Washington University
Known best for black suits and launching coups in committee, Arian Milani is a Junior at GW. Arian is majoring in political science and takes his love for HBO series into whatever he does. Arian served this past year as Head of Training for GW’s Colonial Cadets program, helping freshmen adjust to the college circuit. Despite saying “This is the worst Thursday of all time” on every trip, Arian makes time to help the team both on and off conference. Arian has enjoyed great success on the circuit, and credits it to intense preparation and review. As he moves into his final year, Arian is still around for a game of Boar on the Floor or running through a classic crisis arc. We can’t wait to see what could be big from the OG crisis God.
Casey Stickel
Seton Hall University
Casey Stickel is a graduating senior who served as one of Seton Hall’s head delegates this past year in the most successful season in team history. Despite having never done Model UN before her time at Seton Hall, MUN has consumed much (arguably all) of Casey’s time in college. She formerly held the position of training coordinator and spent two years on the secretariat for Seton Hall’s high school conference, all while traveling to nearly every conference her school attended. Since this was not enough MUN for Casey, she also co-founded the MUN01 podcast and website, devoted to increasing awareness of Model UN and providing detailed insights into the collegiate circuit. In addition to being known as a leader on the team and around the circuit, Casey is most recognizable for her love of JCCs, her undying fascination with anything related to Iran, and her constant struggle with RBF. Not only is Seton Hall losing the most decorated delegate in its school’s history, but also an inspiration for every member of the team. Although Casey will be sorely missed, SHUNA cannot wait to see the incredible things she will accomplish!
Chris Menendez
University of Florida
Chris Menendez is a graduating senior double majoring in Economics and Political Science at the University of Florida. This year he served as the President of UF Model United Nations and previously served as the Head Delegate for our travel team. While he may pretend to not have a life outside of MUN, Chris enjoys laughing at pictures of corgis, watching dogs walk down the street, watching Brooklyn 99 and reading the Economist. Known for his certain brand of humor, Chris will be missed, but we know that he is glad he won’t be getting any more gray hairs from MUN related stress and trauma. Although his time in UF MUN is over and he may not be competing in any war committees, committing certain acts through crisis notes or getting misspelled awards any longer, we can only wish him the best at the NYU School of Law. From his time directing a committee about cheese to his ability to lead his club through a 50-person bus trip, our club is thankful for all that he has done. Here’s to more Guava The Huts at Madrina’s!
Eunice Baek
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Eunice Baek is a rising senior at the University of Tennessee studying Chemical Engineering. Eunice is a veteran debater with various recognitions, and notably Best Delegate at UNCMUNC two years in a row, from the long list of conferences she has travelled to over the past three years. In the committee room she is well prepared and driven and is always ready to offer an outspoken yet informed opinion. Out of the committee room she shares her unique brand of wholesomeness with others in her local MUN community. Eunice currently works at a UT lab researching protein transformation using her chemical expertise. Eunice will be serving as her club’s president in the coming school year and is already working hard to bring up the next generation of debaters.
Graham Pfeiffer
College of William & Mary
Graham Pfeiffer is a rising senior at the College of William and Mary and outgoing head delegate for the William and Mary Model UN Travel Team. During his tenure as head delegate, we worked tirelessly to create a cohesive and friendly atmosphere for all those who traveled with him and competed with him from other schools.Graham’s passion for Model UN is seemingly endless. Always working on new arcs, always considering new postures, and always teaching others. His success is not only propelled by his dedication to his craft but also motivated by his embrace of those around him. In every situation, every committee, Graham brings humor and kindness, creating a community out of apparent strangers. Graham’s success on the circuit is measured not by the gavels he’s won (of which there are more than a few) or how many times he can talk about Italy in a four day span. His success on the circuit is measured by his desire to have fun and make friends with everyone in committee and his commitment to making sure everyone is treated fairly. Graham is a true All Star and his presence on this list is a shock to no one who has had the pleasure of competing with him.
Javier Guerrero
Georgetown University
Javier Guerrero is a rising junior at Georgetown studying Global Business. Informally the “team hype man”, Javi served as a member of the conferences staff team during his sophomore year and shined competing in some of the most challenging committees on the circuit. Javi walked away with gavels in MUNE’s Ad Hoc and UPMUNC’s Art of the Deal, as well as awards in McMUN’s Ad Hoc and at CMUNNY. Outside of Javi’s stellar awards record, what makes him more impressive is his dedication to helping mentor younger members on the team and spending time teaching both before and during conferences. Javi deeply values the friendships he’s made thus far in Model UN and will continue to build his standout reputation on the circuit because of his genuine personality, charisma, and demeanor. Javi will serve on the conferences staff for the travel team again next year and we can’t wait to see him achieve even more success!
Julia Mullert
Boston University
Julia Mullert is a rising senior majoring in International Relations with concentrations in Security and Diplomacy Studies and the Middle East and North Africa. This summer, Julia will be interning as a Counterterrorist Analysis Intern at a private security firm. She joined Model UN her freshman year and her signature blonde hair and black turtlenecks turn heads in every committee she enters. As BU’s Head Delegate this year, she put in countless hours of work and downed countless amounts of Five Hour Energy for the good of the team. While she is known at BU for her New Yorker bag that always has gavel in it, her weirdly themed parties, and her pre-conference all-nighters, Julia is an amazing leader and a friend to everyone on the team. She has always been there for each and every one of us conference weekend or BarMUN weekend. After battling her way through gigantic GAs her freshman year she’s found her home in Marxist-Stalinist crisis committees where her “serial killer handwriting” becomes the talk of the entire backroom. Julia’s commitment to the success of the team has helped us take our youngest team in history to one of the best BU teams in recent years. Julia has left her mark as one of the best head delegates the team has ever seen and she will never be forgotten.
Kyle Castellanos
Cornell University
Kyle “this gavel is going to Ithaca” Castellanos is known to those he has competed with as an incredibly determined and capable delegate. As a Miami man, with the accent to prove it, Kyle’s participation in Model UN since he was young has proven to be the foundation for a great amount of his success. He was a powerhouse delegate in high school. The past year on the college MUN circuit was no different. As a student entering his 3rd year at Cornell, Kyle has greatly balanced Model UN and an incredibly challenging course load. Throughout this Model UN season, Kyle has been able to secure awards at every conference he has attended. Renowned for his incredible knowledge of committee history and crisis strategy, Kyle is one of the most gifted delegates in the circuit. Alongside his extensive research, Kyle is known for his humor and his determination to be incredibly verbal on his opinions in-committee. Committees with him feel less like a Model UN conference, and more like complete immersion in history due to his passionate speeches and intense unmods. Every person who has met Kyle can agree that his talent and relentless determination will continue to propel him beyond Model UN and into the very successful life he will have created for himself. His future is bright, and we are all excited to see the positive impact Kyle continues to make on Cornell and the world.
Kyleb Bello
University of Chicago
Kyleb Bello is a rising senior who served as a Vice President of UChicago’s team this year. Anyone on the team can attest to his willingness to drop everything to help them run through GA strategy, craft an arc fit for the Kardashian empire (tbt UCBMUN), and lend a listening ear – even if it means he walks into his own committee not quite able to place his country on a map. Not that it matters since he usually ends up walking out of the same committee room with a gavel in hand (a record four this year alone) and newfound friends from across the world. Within the team, Kyleb constantly goes the extra mile to get to know and support every single member and can usually be found in the MUN office on campus, racking up a questionable Google search history in pursuit of a perfect crisis arc. We want to thank him for bringing good vibes, an affinity for pong (he’s not as good as he thinks, but we don’t tell him that) and a charming personality to this team- it’s more of a family because of his presence. We can’t wait to see what our resident Florida man accomplishes next year and beyond!
Madhumitha Kumar
Emory University
Madhumitha Baby Kumar is many, many things. Before we talk about what she is, let’s talk about what she is not! She is not a delegate that you want to go toe to toe with in any fantasy or historical crisis committee (especially if it ends in war games). She is not like anybody else you will ever meet on the MUN circuit, as she has that unique balance of fiery passion and comforting care in her personality that makes you afraid of her when she stands up for the round-robin, but fall in love with her when she sits down with you for a drink. Finally, she is not somebody that – upon meeting her – you will ever forget. That same fiery and passionate personality gives her presence a footprint like no other and makes her absence feel dull in comparison. It is this unfortunate truth about her that makes the fact that she is a graduating senior so regrettable to the rest of us who will be left on the MUN circuit without her! From Mysore, India, Madhu speaks 5 languages, holds the record for the most single gavels of any delegate at Emory, served as acting “dad” of the Emory MUN team for four consecutive years, and is a true MUN All-Star in the most absolute sense! With eight gavels to her name, a raw motivation to succeed like no other, and a heart that can only be described as big enough to fit every genuine soul she ever met, she is undoubtedly one of Emory’s most prized possessions! Serving as USG of MUNE VII and CD of MUNE VIII’s 24-Hour Crisis committee, there is no question that Madhu has given back to us the same amount of joy and love as Model UN has never failed to give her! She is an inspiration to all who meet her, and a natural-born leader. Emory was blessed to have the privilege of experiencing you Madhu, and it goes without saying that you will be missed! But Baby… know that you are irreplaceable!
Mitansh Shah
University of California, Los Angeles
A graduating senior at UCLA, Mitansh Shah leads Model UN at UCLA as the club’s President and all-seeing overlord. Although a computer science nerd, he has always had a passion for public speaking and politics since his high school days. This is evident in his exceptional performance on the circuit, bagging multiple gavels on the circuit this season and proving to be a great leader for budding members of the club. Mitansh brings a soothing presence to the circuit and speaking with him can instantly calm you down, regardless of your worries. He is also as diligent as he is calm and composed, and it is his leadership that has propelled the UCLA team towards an incredible performance in this short-lived season. He has prioritized the development and well-being of the club above all else and it shows in his ‘never-say-no’ attitude when it comes to helping or hearing out others. Beyond being a MUN star, he is a caring friend, a hardworking bruin, and an amazing person. The next leader of the club has a lot to live up to, but we are certain that MUN at UCLA will be left in deserving hands or as Mitansh would put it: a new hatching must emerge; a new dawn awaits!
Samantha Raggio
American University
Samantha Raggio, or Mom to the AU Model UN Team, is truly a shining star. Sam will be graduating from American University this Spring with a BA in International Relations with a concentration in National Security and a minor in Statistics. As a sophomore, Samantha served as Assistant Head Delegate for AU’s team and later led the Washington International Relations Conference as Charge D’Affaires her junior year. Most recently Samantha brought AU’s high school MUN conference to new heights as AmeriMUNC VII’s Secretary General. These past two years Samantha made herself known as a UNSC force to be reckoned with, raking in 5 consecutive awards in 5 different Security Council committees. While her record is certainly impressive, Samantha is best known on the circuit for her relentless positivity, unwavering kindness, and bedazzled stapler. Always the first to reach out to new members and help others in committee, Samantha has helped shape AUMUN’s team culture for the better and we will miss her dearly.
Shivani Saboo
University of Virginia
Shivani Saboo–after resurrecting the Model U.N. program at McLean High and serving as their SG–came to the University of Virginia in the Fall of 2016 ready to set the collegiate Model U.N. circuit on fire; across her four years, she did just that. Competing primarily as a GA delegate, she brought home multiple awards for UVA across her career from some of the most competitive conferences. Her GA partner, Adu Menon, had this to say about her: “Shivani has such a commanding presence in every aspect of committee, but that quality derives itself from her incredible charm rather than intimidation.” For how amazing Shivani was as a delegate, she was ten times that and more when it came to serving as Secretary-General for the Virginia Model United Nations Conference (VAMUN). As Secretary-General, Shivani’s leadership was unrivaled. Confident in her vision for VAMUN, she served not only as an innovator, but also as a calming and friendly presence for the rest of Secretariat, the Chairs and CDs, the staff, and the delegates. This year, VAMUN Secretariat had the highest retention rate in its history; this is a testament to how well Shivani did. The impact Shivani has left on UVA Model U.N. will continue to extend well into the future–and for that, we at the University of Virginia will be forever grateful.
Stephen Hoffman
Seton Hall University
Stephen is a rising senior at Seton Hall University, double majoring in Political Science and History with minors in Middle Eastern Studies and Legal Studies in Business. Despite never having competed in Model UN in high school, Stephen has quickly become SHUNA’s biggest advocate, supporting his teammates and taking on multiple leadership positions. On the Executive Board, Stephen has served in the role of Treasurer and has recently been re-elected for a second term as President. With Stephen’s leadership, the team has achieved its highest ranking ever and traveled the farthest it has ever gone. On the competitive side, Stephen has attended every single conference that the team has traveled to during his time at Seton Hall, picking up many gavels and awards along the way. Maybe one day Stephen will skip a conference, but for now we can expect him to keep traveling, keep winning, and keep giving motivational pre-committee speeches! Thank you for all your hard work Stephen, you have truly led SHUNA to new heights!
Tim Obiso
Boston University
Timothy Obiso is a rising senior majoring in Linguistics and the incoming Head Delegate at Boston University. Since joining the BU Model UN team, he has proved himself to be an incredible delegate and an even better friend. During the 2019-2020 year, he has shown immense talent in both GA and crisis committees, finishing off the year with a gavel at UCBMUN. Timothy has made a name for himself on the circuit for his ability to master everything from space communism to fake currency, talent for navigating NYC public transportation, and constant support for every member of the BU team. When he isn’t competing, Timothy loves changing the language on his Siri to a new one he’s casually picking up and talking about how being bilingual can make you smarter. He is a Global House Leader at Boston University, and in about ten years will become the linguistics professor with the best Rate My Professor reviews the East Coast has ever seen. Timothy is one of our favorite team members to travel with, complete with catch phrases that everyone on the team inevitably catches onto and the best post-committee recaps. He shares a bonding moment with every member he travels with, helping them out in their committees and pushing everyone to do their best. We admire Timothy’s commitment to MUN, and his energy that lightens up even the most challenging aspects of conferences. We are so excited to see Timothy grow as a leader and take the team to new heights as Head Delegate for the 2020-2021 year.
Zach Bontempo
American University
It goes without saying that the legacy of Zach Bontempo will continue to live on in the circuit’s ethos for years to come. A living legend among his peers, the graduating senior from American University has served the team in various capacities (Head Del, Assistant Head Del, etc.) during his 4-year tenure. Whether this be revamping the teams training regime, staying up until 5 am for pre-conference prep, or simply using his father’s Hilton Rewards membership to help during check-in (thanks Robert), Zach has been instrumental in raising AUMUN’s ranking from the low-teens to its status as a top 5 program. It is thanks to Zach that the team can pin not just its success during conferences, but the community that has been cultivated: afterall, whose apartment was it that got trashed at each party (sorry not sorry)? In all seriousness, it cannot be overstated just how much this team owes to Zach: his tenacity, work ethic, and competitive drive propelled him to become one of AU’s top delegates ever and he was gracious enough to spend the time teaching it all to the next generation. It is with a heavy heart that AU and the circuit close debate on this incredible friend of ours: good luck at your bank job, sellout.
Zola Hoehn
University of Florida
Zola Hoehn is a senior at the University of Florida, graduating with a dual-degree in Art History and International Studies and a minor in French. She finishes her long career in Model UN as the Secretary-General of FLCS (it’s Lit) and with a bedroom wall full of awards. She traveled all over the circuit, making friends in every committee who undoubtedly know she studied abroad in France. If you competed in any committee involving France, there is a good chance you have ran into her before. Despite never sure about how she did conference weekend, she always pulls off a win. We are confident that if ChoMUN did not get canceled this year that she would defend her record of always coming out with an award there. A natural MUN mom, she made sure everyone got home from any social alive and well hydrated. She brings the same passion that she displays in a committee room to Art History, where she will get a Masters in at American University after graduating this Spring. A true Renaissance woman, we cannot wait to see what she does.
Congratulations to all the delegates! Thank you for a great year on the circuit and for recognizing your peers despite an early end to the MUN season. We sincerely hope that the MUN college circuit can resume again next school year!
Missing Model United Nations? Check out the College All-Stars Model United Nations Conference (CASMUNC)!
